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Elon Musk may become the unseen star of this year’s Venice Film Festival. Alex Gibney’s nearly four-hour documentary about the Tesla and SpaceX chief is among the films expected to draw attention when the festival opens its 83rd edition on the Lido.

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hit piece

Gibney worked on the film for almost four years. He initially approached the project as an admirer of Musk and a Tesla owner, and wanted to interview him. Musk declined to participate and later called the documentary a “hit piece” on social media. Gibney responded, “How would you know?”

The filmmaker told The Associated Press that his investigation changed his view of Musk. “Ultimately, he didn’t want to talk to me,” Gibney said. “But then you start, you know, digging into the facts and you follow them where they lead. And where they led, for me, was to a place that upended the myth, I would say, of Elon Musk as a kind of modern Leonardo da Vinci ... I think that the news in this film is that Musk isn’t an inventor. He’s a confidence man.”

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How would you know?

Hundreds of people, both on and off the record, contributed to the film. Gibney said he was surprised by how many people appeared afraid to speak about Musk on camera, including some admirers who wanted permission first. He called the subject “dark and dangerous,” but also described the film as a “fun ride.”

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Ultimately, he didn’t want to talk to me. But then you start, you know, digging into the facts and you follow them where they lead. And where they led, for me, was to a place that upended the myth, I would say, of Elon Musk as a kind of modern Leonardo da Vinci ... I think that the news in this film is that Musk isn’t an inventor. He’s a confidence man.

The festival lineup also includes a documentary by Julia Loktev about independent Russian journalists after the invasion of Ukraine. “NAZA,” a late addition to the competition from two filmmakers behind the Oscar-winning *No Other Land*, will focus on the conflict in Gaza. The festival is also expected to attract Noel and Liam Gallagher, Robert Pattinson, Rooney Mara, George Clooney and Penélope Cruz, while Clooney and Ellen Burstyn are due to receive lifetime achievement awards.

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dark and dangerous